Regarding the UKT increase, what actually happened?

The increase in single tuition fees at many state campuses has been protested by prospective students.

KOMPAS/NIKSON SINAGA

Students from the University of North Sumatra held a dialogue with the Vice Rectors of USU during a protest against the increase of single tuition fees by 30-50 percent at the Office of the Rectorate Bureau of USU, in Medan, on Wednesday (8/5/2024).

1. Why are students at a number of state universities protesting against single tuition (UKT)?

2. Where did the UKT rejection protests take place?

3. Why did the UKT increase this year?

4. What is the DPR's attitude towards this polemic?

5. How do universities respond to this UKT rejection?

6. What can prospective students do?

7. How did the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology respond?

8. How do other countries' governments regulate tuition fees in universities?

Why are students protesting against the increase in single tuition fees (UKT)?

As the new academic year approaches, state universities (PTN) are increasing the amount of the single tuition fee (UKT). This affects new students who will enter this year. The polemic has garnered protests from prospective students in recent weeks.

At Jenderal Soedirman University Unsoed, Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, for example. Quoting data on the Unsoed Information Place Bank Instagram account or @batir_unsoed which is managed by the Unsoed Student Executive Board (BEM), in 2023, the UKT amount for the 2023 Animal Husbandry Study Program for Group 5 or the highest is IDR 2,500,000 per semester.

Also read: Unsoed UKT Increase Considered Burdensome, BEM Requests Evaluation

However, in 2024, the tuition fee for the Animal Husbandry study program for Group 5 will increase to IDR 12,500,000 per semester. In addition, in 2024, the highest tuition fee in the Animal Husbandry study program is in Group 6, which is IDR 14,081,000 per semester.

KOMPAS/WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

Hundreds of students from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman Purwokerto held a demonstration protesting the increase in the Single Tuition Fee at the Rectorate Building in Purwokerto, Banyumas, Central Java, on Friday (26/4/2024).

Where did the UKT rejection protests take place?

Similar things also happen at many other state universities (PTN), such as at the University of North Sumatra (USU). USU students reject UKT increase this year. Learning facilities on campus are still considered poor. Many learning media are damaged, lecture rooms have no fans or air conditioning, dirty toilets and a lack of clean water.

Also read: University of North Sumatra UKT Protest Students Increase 30-50 Percent

"The single tuition fee at USU has increased by another 30 to 50 percent this year. New prospective students are complaining about the sudden increase of the single tuition fee when the admissions process is already at the re-registration stage," said USU Student President M Aziz Syahputra.

Protests also took place, among others, at the University of Riau, Sebelas Maret State University (UNS), and the National Development University "Veteran" Jakarta.

Also read: Heavy burden on students amid increases in UKT and IPI

What caused the UKT to rise this year?

Two regulations are believed to be the cause of the increase in tuition fees. Firstly, the Minister of Education and Culture Regulation No. 4 of 2020 regarding the Change of State Universities to State-Owned Universities and the Ministry of Education and Culture and Research Technology Regulation No. 2 of 2024 regarding the Standard Unit Cost of Higher Education Operations (SSBOPT) at State Universities (PTN).

Secretary General of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek), Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie, said in Jakarta on Friday (10/5/2024) that based on regulations, the single tuition fee (BKT) must be reviewed regularly.

Finally, the BKT was established in 2020 based on 2019 cost calculations. An evaluation is necessary since the BKT is deemed less relevant to current cost standards.

Also read: Complaints about the cost of studying at PTN, students should not be constrained by studying

Also read: Single Tuition Fee: Conflict over Higher Education Funding

What is the DPR's attitude towards this polemic?

The controversy surrounding the increase in tuition fees has prompted the House of Representatives to speak out. "We want to know how the government manages education costs, so we have decided to form a working committee," said Chairman of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Syaiful Huda, on Friday (17/5/2024) in Jakarta.

According to Huda, Indonesia has implemented a budget of 20 percent of the APBN for education budget. This year, the amount reached IDR 665 trillion from the APBN.

Also read: Education Costs Continue to Skyrocket, Education Budget Management is Evaluated

"Hence, it's quite strange that the educational cost for students is skyrocketing over time. Despite the fact that the educational budget allocation from the state budget is relatively significant," said Huda.

How do universities respond to the rejection of this UKT increase?

The Chairman of the Indonesian State Universities' Rector Council (MRPTNI), Ganefri, stated in Jakarta on Monday (20/5/2024) that changes in the financing structure of UKT education in several campuses are efforts by state universities to make UKT financing more fair and accessible to all. This is done by expanding the range of education financing categories through the addition of several categories that are adjusted to the abilities of various layers of society.

Also read: Determination of UKT is requested to be transparent and appropriate to student abilities

"The adjustment of the UKT category does not mean an increase in tuition fees at state universities. This is an effort to balance the amount of BKT and UKT in order to broaden public participation according to their respective abilities," said Ganefri, who is also the Rector of Padang State University.

KOMPAS/STEPHANUS ARANDITIO

The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek), Nadiem Anwar Makarim, along with officials from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, attended a working meeting with the 10th Commission of the Indonesian House of Representatives in the Meeting Room of the 10th Commission of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (21/5/2024).

What can prospective students do?

Director General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology at the Ministry of Education and Culture and Technology, Abdul Haris, stated in a working meeting with Commission X of the DPR and the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology on Tuesday (21/5/2024) that new students are likely to object to the grouping of UKT fees. Therefore, State Universities and State Legal Entities (PTN-BH) must accommodate a review of UKT groups for students who apply.

Also read: New Students at PTN Can Request UKT Review

"Students who object to their UKT group placement, for example due to changes in economic ability or inaccurate determination of their economic condition, can request a review according to the procedures," said Haris.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology Nadiem Anwar Makarim

How did the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology respond?

During the work meeting, Minister of Education and Culture Technology, Nadiem Makarim, was urged to revoke the regulations that underpin this year's increase in tuition fees. However, in response, Nadiem only stated that his party would review the regulations in question. This was seen as not firm enough by the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), Ubaid Matraji.

The Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbudristek) actually argues that the SSBOPT rates are in line with the abilities of students. However, in reality, according to Ubaid, the SSBOPT serves as a basis for universities to raise tuition fees.

Also read: Nadiem's ​​response to UKT is not firm

Ubaid added that the increase in tuition fees that occurred in many state universities with legal entities proves that there are mistakes in the regulations made by the Ministry of Education and Culture and Research and Technology, namely Ministerial Regulation No. 2/2024 concerning the Operational Standards for Higher Education Institutions, which serves as the basis for universities to increase tuition fees.

"If this kind of commotion is happening everywhere and in many campuses, it is clear that the unfair or problematic issue lies in the policy at the central level," he said.

How do governments in other countries regulate college tuition fees?

The cost of higher education is a concern in many countries. Countries that liberalize education costs and do not provide subsidies tend to make higher education costs unaffordable for most of their citizens. They usually provide assistance schemes in the form of educational loans to citizens who want to continue their education to university level. However, one of the impacts is that it actually creates debts of billions of rupiah for students who want to pursue higher education.

Meanwhile, in some other countries, the government regulates affordable higher education costs for its citizens. Several countries subsidize tuition fees so that higher education is affordable for their citizens.

Also read: UKT is cheap in France and Germany, expensive in the US and UK